FALL 2017 PROJECT HEALING WATERS

Coming up in just a months time, the next opportunity to help a veteran.  This program can make a huge difference in someones life.  It really came clear to me when I heard one of the veterans explain how it worked for him.  "When I am casting I don't have time to think about all the s*** that has my life all messed up.  I have to concentrate on my hands, arms, the rod and line.  It just keeps your mind busy".

You don't have to be the best caster or fisherman to make a difference.  Just being there tells the veterans that you care.  Click on the Project Healing Waters tab at the top.

Dave Hamilton Remembered

There will be a "Celebration of Life" for Dave Hamilton on Sunday, August 20, from 1 - 4.  It will take place in the Evergreen Room, the community room overlooking the Rogue River, right next to the Taprock restaurant in Grants Pass.  There will NOT be a formal program -- it will be very casual ... just "open house"-style, so people can stop in any time to enjoy some light refreshments, look at pictures, and remember a wonderful man.  We hope that many of Dave's fly tying and fly fishing friends will be able to make it.

If  you want to send a card, it can be addressed to, Cathy Hamilton, 1143 Sleepy Hollow Loop, Grants Pass, OR, 97527.  Also per Cathy's request:  "In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society."  

Dave 

RSVP Now! or sooner!

Annual SOFT Dinner 

Tuesday June 13, 2017 

5:00 Happy Hour 

6:00 Dinner 

7:30 Raffle 

Where: Madrone Hill Mobile Home Park, Conference Center,  8401 Old Stage Road, Gold Hill.

We are setting up our Annual BBQ /Potluck dinner for our June 13th meeting. Food and beverages will be provided and spouses and significant others are very welcome. As this has been a potluck in the past we ask that you let us know if you are planning to bring any side dishes and if not, what if any deserts or other interesting things you want to bring to share. 

We need to get a head count ASAP and we would like to know if you will be bringing anything so that we do not over purchase the main course / side dishes and beverages. 

Please RSVP to me (Dave McCants) at Davetyer@comcast.net or call Dave at 925 451 8705. If you could get back to us by June 7th that would really help with our planning for this event. 

For those interested, during happy hour, I will show how easy it is to make hot glue eggs for those of us who enjoy nymphing.

June SOFT Meeting

Annual SOFT Dinner 

Tuesday June 13, 2017 

5:00 Happy Hour 

6:00 Dinner 

7:30 Raffle 

Where: Madrone Hill Mobile Home Park, Conference Center,  8401 Old Stage Road, Gold Hill.

We are setting up our Annual BBQ /Potluck dinner for our June 13th meeting. Food and beverages will be provided and spouses and significant others are very welcome. As this has been a potluck in the past we ask that you let us know if you are planning to bring any side dishes and if not, what if any deserts or other interesting things you want to bring to share. 

We need to get a head count ASAP and we would like to know if you will be bringing anything so that we do not over purchase the main course / side dishes and beverages. 

Please RSVP to me (Dave McCants) at Davetyer@comcast.net. If you could get back to us by June 7th that would really help with our planning for this event. 
For those interested, during happy hour, I will show how easy it is to make hot glue eggs for those of us who enjoy nymphing.

We will have the following: 
Ribs and Chicken / Baked Beans / Potato Salad / Green Salad / Green Salad / Bread / 
Wine / Beer / Soft Drinks… and of course what deserts or other dishes you wish to bring along… 
I believe that this will be the last chance to bring flies for Water Watch and we will be silent (no meetings for July and August, September still a possibility). 
Also, please bring any flies or other donations for our raffle chairman as we will have a raffle after dinner. 
It has been a great tying season, high water and all! Kindest regards, Dave McCants

May SOFT Meeting

Southern Oregon Fly Tiers

Tuesday, May 9^th

6pm – 8pm

Tie Together Session

Hello to one and all!

As discussed at last meeting we are going to have a “sit down and tie together session” on Tuesday May 9^th starting at 6 pm, 15 minutes of announcements and then we will get right to it.  If there is time we will move on to a third fly, the Yong Special.  There will be no Tech Session for this meeting.

We will be doing two flies during this session and it will include the McBear’s STIS March Brown and Bob Grace’s (Dunsmuir Fly Shop) Flash Wing Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail.  The materials list for the March Brown is in last month’s announcement.  Mr. Ed Morphis will give a brief review of the key points in tying the March Brown and Dave McCants will lead the tying session.

Then we will move on to the Flash Wing Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail as lead by Dave again.  The key features that are different from a standard pheasant tail are the “V” wing and the soft hackle feather in front of the “v” wing.  Materials and photos are as follows:

Hook, size 14 soft hackle (I use Gaelic Supreme size 14 and 16 Sly Nemes up eye soft hackle hook, but any size 14 will do for this class),

Thread – Black 8/0 10/0 12/0 Veevus or Uni thread,

Rib – small or fine copper wire (counter wound),

Tail – 3-4 pheasant center tail fibers,

Abdomen – 4 Pheasant center tail fibers,

V Wing – Small Pearl Mylar,

Thorax – Peacock herl (small),

Hackle – Hen furnace hackle, 2 turns.

Please bring materials for both flies, I will have Yong Special threads available for everyone, if we get to that fly.  I can also supply 4 inch pleasant tail centers available.  If anyone needs a vice, I can bring 4 vices that attach to a table for use in the session, but you need to contact me at Davetyer@comcast.net and let me know you need one so I bring them to the class session.

I look forward to seeing everyone there!

Kindest regards, Dave

April SOFT Meeting, Fly of the Month, and Tech Table

SOFT – Tuesday, March 11, 2017 

6:00 pm
   8401 Old Stage Road, Gold Hill

Dave McCants will be our demonstration tier this month.

He will tie this time, 2 flies here is first one...

McBear's STIS March Brown

Hook -Daiichi 1180, 10-12 or similar hook,

Thread - Uni 6/0 rust brown

Trailing shuck - antron or zlon pheasant tail or amber

Abdomen - mahogany turkey bit or black

Post - Carpet yarn or Anthon with 4 strands of root beer micro krystal flash

Hackle - grizzly dyed March brown or dark Cree

Thorax - March brown dubbing of choice

Note 1 - bend hook 30 degrees at 3-4 eye lengths behind eye.

Note 2 - Tie off hackle against wingpost.

March Brown

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Second fly, Yong Special, see also handout that will be given out at tying session...

Hook - Any 1x strong nymph hook sizes 18 - 26,

Abdomen - Sewing thread in brown, red, cream, white, olive or tan,

Head - Any 8/0 to 16/0 black thread to make a well rounded head, then apply head cement only to head...

Note - Tie in abdomen thread in center of hook, no jamb knot, just wrap forward 6 turns, then back (towards tail) 12 wraps, then spin thread and wrap forward to eye (should take about 16 turns) and do 2 turn whip finish.  Make head.

Yon Special

DUBBING MINI SEMINAR CONTINUES

This month at the Tech Table we will continue our mini seminar on dubbing techniques. We left off with an introduction to the split-thread method and will discuss the varied ways it can be used for different effects. We will also be covering some different designs of dubbing blocks for creating dubbing brushes. There will be some great information to be shared so don’t miss this one right after the tying demo.

SOFT Meeting, Fly of the Month and Tech Table

SOFT – Tuesday, March 14, 2017 
6:00 pm
   8401 Old Stage Road, Gold Hill

At our March meeting, Cathy Hamilton will be demonstrating a Woven Body Prince Nymph, utilizing the overhand weave.  This is a weighted fly, and the demonstration will include her special technique for adding the weight to the sides of the hook.  Those who watched Lee Wedberg’s demo at the February meeting will be able to compare his method with Cathy’s.

Weaving flies is not as complex as it might appear -- as with everything else in fly tying, it just requires a bit of practice.  But the special effects it can give your flies make it a technique that’s worth mastering.

Many different materials can be used for weaving, and Cathy will discuss the considerations for selecting suitable materials.  She will also have some examples of larger and smaller flies tied using the overhand weave technique, showing the versatility of the weave, and will have samples of other weaves that are used in fly tying.  

HOOK -- TMC 200R, size 8 (or equivalent)

THREAD -- UTC 140 (for wrapping lead), UNI 8/0 (for tying fly), both black

LEAD -- .025 (Superglue applied after lead is covered with thread)

TAIL -- Brown goose biots

Body -- Kreinik #12 Braid (“Tapestry Braid”), colors 005 (black) and 015    (chartreuse)

BEARD -- Black saddle hackle

WINGS -- White goose biots

AT THE TECH TABLE

 

This month the Tech Table will feature a mini seminar on dubbing techniques. We will cover the many and varied methods of applying all those different types of dubbing to the thread and hook. There may even be one you didn’t know about. The seminar will begin right after the tier demo. Don’t miss it.